Fishing Forum

I'm wanting to start this spring and summer. It looks like fun. But I have no idea where to start for equipment or anything. when I go to a store the people there think I am so stupid cause I really have no idea what I'm looking for. Any ideas?

Jason
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There is a real difference beween being stupid and being ignorant. Stupid pople don't have a chance to learn. They're stupid. You are going to learn and catch fish. Find a fishing friend. Hang out at your local lake or whatever is around and talk with the fishermen. Look and see what they are not only doing, but trying to do. Hang close to people that are really whacking the fish and do what they do. It sounds simple because it is. I fish all over the country. Mostly I rent a bicycle and ride around talking and watching until I find a place that has fish and where people are catching them. Great place to start. If you look back into the archives you might find a reference to my Magic Lures. They work great all over the country for most every type of gamefish. They are cheap too. I don't sell them or make any money of them or are a rep for manufacturer, I just came up with a good all around lure for most situations. That's the secret. That and research, Everything is here in the ol' BFT, which is why you will have to look thru this website to find what you need. Good luck and we wil all be here when you have a specific question.
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[black][size 3]Hey Jason,[/size][/black]
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[black][size 3]Welcome to BFT ![/size][/black]
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[black][size 3]Fishing is not too difficult. However, You ask a question that involves a lot of information. Here is a link that you should start out with first - it will cover the basics.[/size][/black]
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[black][size 3]How to start fishing [/size][/black][url "http://www.takemefishing.org/howtofish"][black][size 3] CLICK HERE.[/size][/black][/url]
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[black][size 3]After you have read some and developed specific question about any equipment or techniques, come back and ask. We have a good number of experienced anglers on this web site that will be more than happy to assist you.[/size][/black]
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[black][size 3]Come back any time and ask any question you might have.[/size][/black]
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which would be the best type of reel to startout? I have looked at the spinning reels and I can't seem to figure out how they work. the casting reels look simpler, but look like they could knot up and get tangled easily. I'm mostly looking to catch fish that would be found in a normal IN or OH lake as that is where I spend most of my time.

Jason
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Jason,

The surprising fact is, very FEW people who are experienced at fishing are very good at explaining it!

They never understand that people who have never fished before don't know what a buzzbait is, or what "tightening the drag" means or what 10-pound mono is.
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Jason, if you want to have an easy reel to use go for a spinning or a closed faced reel. Now just let us know what type of fish you want to catch on the lakes and we can steer you to the right method and bait. Everyone has their special method of catching a type of fish. Do you have a boat that you would be useing? Once you start you'll never stop learning about fishing.
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around this area I think I'll be mostly fishing for bluegill and some smaller fish like that. I like catfish too, but I think that might be too big for me to start out with. And I know it takes a different setup for those than bluegill.
Jason
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I went to wal mart to look today and I found a spinning reel ugly stick combo. I didn't notice the weight of the line. It also comes apart into 2 pieces so it would be easier to carry. I should have looked at that. Would that be a decent combo to start with?

Jason
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An Ugly Stick is a servicable rod but not a fine rod. The problem being the weight of the blank as it nears the tip increases. This is because the tip is solid. It causes a strange 'feel' to the rod. Just doesn't feel right to me. On that note you should still buy one. It will become your loaner rod for your friend that wants to fish. They are hard to break and thats the advantage. Fishing rods have improved so much in the last few years. You can find rods for $29.00 that would have cost a $100.00 a while ago. Two piece is OK too, but a one piece always is lighter and transmits vibrations better. Seven feet seems to be the most useful length. If you plan to shore fish you might want to go longer but not heavier. Both Bass pro and Cabelas sell 'Crappie style' 8 to 12 foot rods that are really useful reaching out over bushes and trees. Fishing is like golf in that to do it correctly you will require more than one rod for the different situations you might find yourself in. The good thing is that just a few reels can match up to ten rods for different trips. We are getting ahead of ourselves but I want the right way from the begining. My two 'go to' rigs are a 7 foot 6-15 pound test fast taper and a 7 foot 10 to 20 pound fast taper rod with two 2500 size Shimano reels. I fish the first with high quality 6 pound line and the second with the same high quality 10 pound line. Suffix, Cuda, Triline, whatever make sure you don't get cheap line because the only one you are screwing will be yourself. Learn to tie an improved clinch knot(Look it up) and go fish.
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Jason,

You're good to go. I wonder if it's closed face spincasting or, as you said, spinning, but those combos are usually balanced.

The one thing I would mention -- I would hope you could get 6 pound line because lighter line gets more bites. I suspect with the ugly stick you're going to be up around 10-pound or more. If you can get a combo with lighter line, I think you'd be better off.
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yeha I was rushed and forgot to look at the weight of the line. I might look more when I'm back there on monday. It was a spinning reel. Also a 2 piece rod. Do they have trouble coming apart at the wrong times?
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I would use a light rod for bluegills, small trout ect. One pc is always better as the two pc does seem to move while useing it all day. And they do sometimes come apart at the worst times. Go for 6lb line and a small hook to attach a garden worm to. Add a bobber and your gill . They do like to hang around docks and weed beds. Now cat fishing is a complete different rig.
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I've seen two piece rods come apart when people cast, although not so much with spinning as with closed-face and baitcasting reels.

But that's nothing compared with the trouble of fitting a six or seven-foot rod in a compact car. One-piece rods work a little better, all things being equal, but I much prefer my two piece rods. Just jam 'em together really well and they should stay together all day. A little water on the insert tip sometimes helps if they feel loose.
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I went back again and looked it it. It's 5'6" ugly stick. Shakespeare 35 (whatever that means) spinning reel with 8 lb line. It wasn't terribly heavy and felt pretty good.

Jason
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That combo's about as good as you're going to do, I'd get it!

8-pound will be strong enough for those catfish.

(Maybe consider switching to 6-pound line someday to catch a few more of those bluegills...)
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Rods to short...
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Yes, all right, that is true, you could probably cast farther with a six-foot.
5-1/2 makes it a little easier to handle the fish after you reeled it in...
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I looked again today and the rod is 5'10". The one I found for my wife is 5'6". That size might be okay for her.

Jason
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All right man, got the wife interested!
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yeah we're both into the same stuff pretty much. We go camping together, to dirt car races, BBQ, and other stuff. So it's cool. She'll like it I think

Jason
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